Batman The Merciless
by Chaosmob
Summary: Based on the comic. Sort of.


I would like to thank my wonderful beta Rhonda from great work. Wrote this after reading Batman The Merciless comic and this story popped into my head. I do not own these characters so don't sue me!

Enjoy!

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**Batman the Merciless.**

He who should not be named for fear that he would return, opened the door way for me to the multiverse. I was once mortal and weak in thinking, but now I'm a God-killer and know what life and death is all about. Battle of the fittest.

Battle hardens, battle shows no mercy. Like I use to. What a fool I was to think I could wage a war against crime and win without taking a life or two hundred. I have learned one thing during my travels in the multiverse. Without you at my side its shallow victories. It took some time but I found you, the real you. One ready to do the right thing. Now with her at my side. Nothing can stop me.

Earth -12. A short cropped hair styled Wonder Woman entered her quarters on the Watchtower. Before she could turn on the light she saw a figure move slightly in the corner. Thinking it was Plastic Man trying to perv on her again she quickly charged at the figure. She grabbed the man and placed him in a headlock.

"Give up Plas's?"

The reply back made her release her hold. "Yes." the weak voice stated.

"Lights on." Diana commanded. Once on she saw that it was Hermes, Messenger of the Gods. Diana quickly bowed "Sorry my lord, how may I assist you." Hoping the speedster god would forgive her.

"Olympus is under attack, we need you." the battered God said as he leaned against the wall. She then turned and grabbed her sword and shield off the wall.

"I'm ready." in a flutter of light Diana and Hermes disappeared.

"HOLD THE GATES!" Ares yelled at several minor Gods pushed against it. BANG. The Golden Gates of Olympus shook. But held.

Zeus and the rest of the major Gods stepped forward, ready in their battle armour. "Open the Gate!" Zeus commanded. The minor Gods pushing against it stepped back. Before they could unlock the massive door it busted open, knocking a couple of them flying in all directions.

As the dust settled two glowing red eyes glared back at the waiting Gods and Goddesses.

Diana with Hermes stood in shock as she gasped at the carnage and destruction in front of them. The once beautiful plane of the Gods was in ruins. All over the place dead forms of the God's and Goddesses strewn about. Battle yells and screams could be heard in the distance. Hermes and Diana shot off towards the yelling.

When they entered the main hall of the Olympian Gods there was three figures fighting. Zeus, Ares and a mystery man in black armour battling against each other. In a flash Hermes joined the battle. Diana stood there watching as the man in the black armour easily blocked their blows.

"Pathetic," the man's voice rumbled causing Diana to pause even more. The voice sounded like… but that thought was interrupted when Hermes head was decapiated by the man in Black, he was fast. Very fast. She watched in horror as her once friend and God fell.

Ares pushed his attack harder now and Zeus unleashed his mighty lighting bolts. The man in Black held his hand up and held off Zeus's blasts with it,and he parried Ares's attacks with his sword welding one.

With a move she had only seen once before, Ares's was stabbed in the chest. By him? But how? Ares's mouth opened wide but didn't make a sound as he also fell. Diana finally snapped out of her trance and joined the fight. With speed only the Flash or Superman could match she was grabbed by the neck. The force was so vioent that it caused her to dropped her sword.

She watched as the once mighty Zeus was finally struck down by the man in Black's sword. Zeus was swiftly cut in half. With a groan he fell to the marble floor. The man in Black then sheathed his sword and turned his full attention towards Diana.

She had never felt this helpless in her whole entire life. The glowing red eyes were peering at her, as if reading her mind. The near death grip around her neck was reeased as she fell to the ground and inhaled the breath she dearly needed.

"Who are you?" She gasped not knowing if the man in Black would answer her

before her own death would come. The man then turned his back on her and walked towards the centre of the throne room, climbed the dias turned and sat down. One hand came up and slowly pulled off his armoured helmet. Staring back at her was the withered face of one of her comrades in the Justice Lords, Bruce Wayne.

Diana glared at the man before he spoke. "I've traveled a long way for you." he spoke.

Diana finally caught her breath and stood up. "Why me?"

"Because you have the essence I desire. The true warrior spirit."

"I will not…"

"Really? You disobeyed your mother by running away from your homeland and royal responsibilities for adventure and turned your back on their teachings and forced peace on man's world?" Bruce said as he rubbed the battered looking helmet sitting on his lap. "I know you have feelings for me Diana, and I for you." he picked up the helmet and placed on it on the arm rest of the mighty throne of the once powerful Zeus. He moved without caution and embarrassed her. "I need a warrior Queen, and you are the one." he then kissed her.

Diana froze but softened into the kiss before she tried to strike out. Bruce blocked the blow. He broke the kiss and smiled at her. "There you are, my warrior Queen."

"Stop it! You are not the Bruce Wayne that I loved. I just watched you murder my Gods and you think I will follow you?" she said with disdain.

"Yes."

"I would rather die than come willingly."

Bruce stared at her hard, like he was sensing her true intentions. "Hmm maybe you're not the one." He said as he pulled out his sword. Diana watched as his grip on the sword tightened. "There are millions of you in the Multiverse Diana, are you sure you're not the one?"

She hesitated for a moment, she had been to another Earth once and saw the

differences. Maybe this Bruce was right, she always felt different. As if there was a fire in her soul that burnt for battle and war. Forcing peace on Earth was

satisfactory at first but since the Justice Lord accomplished that her life had no real meaning or challenge now.

" Very well then Bruce, I am the one." Diana smiled darkly at the man. Bruce

extended his hand to her and she took it.

"First order of business, we replenish our ranks." sheathing his sword Bruce

commanded the helmet back and it shot back to him as if it was one of his old batarang's. He placed the helmet on his head and in an instant the two

disappeared.

They reappeared on a tropical island, one that Diana knew very well. "You think the Amazon's will follow you?"

"They will." he stated as matter of fact. A woman in the distance from the two was riding a steed. She saw the two figures standing on the vast beach. As she

approached them she saw it was Diana and looked to be Ares. She turned the horse and rode off towards the city.

Diana watched the retreating Amazon, she was about to speak when Bruce spoke up. "They will come in force soon. Are you ready to be my Warrior Queen?" she questioned her once more.

She looked confused at the man, "I took your hand, why question my loyalty now?" Out of the mouth slit of the helmet she could see his toothy grin.

"Your true test is about to happen." he said cryptically.

Bruce watched Diana's reaction to the coming Amazon Army. As the Amazon's full army approached the two. Diana felt dread, but a smaller growing feeling spread. Adrenaline. It was as if she was about to go into battle for the first time. That feeling of the unknown. It excited her. Unknown to Diana was Bruce's eyes glowed slightly more during this conflict within her.

The Amazon army stopped some fifty meters away. Hippolyta yell at the two. "What is the meaning of this Daughter? Why is Ares here?" She held her self high on her mount.

Bruce spoke loud and to the point. "Join us or parish." Diana had a hard time looking at her mother. She could see the disappointment in her posture as she sloughed in her saddle. Bruce however returned his gaze to Diana.

"Don't." Diana tilted her head as she whispered to Bruce.

Hippolyta growled out as she pulled out her own sword "Amazon's to arms." the full army bared their weapons of war for the ready.

"This is your test my dear. They either join us or they are in the way." Bruce told

Diana. She turned and looked at her mother and sisters. Bruce's eyes flashed red as Diana tried to figure out a way from this impending showdown. Her senses

heightened as she slowly walked towards her people.

"Sisters and my Queen. Do as he asks." her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"First you steal the champions armour and run away with it. Then you bring men to our lands, and now you align yourself with this monster?" Hippolyta stared at her Daughter in disbelief. It was as if a switched was turned off in Hippolyta, her

daughter was lost to her and them. "ATTACK!" she commanded her forces.

Bruce watched as his eyes glowed brighter. Diana unsheathed her sword and

defended herself from the attacking Army. Sister after sister from her previous life fell to her lightening fast swipes. Bruce's then summoned a giant coin and held out his hand towards the carnage in front of him. Soul after soul of the dead Amazon's came unwilling towards his mighty coin, the coin vibrated every time a new soul was added.

Bruce watched in amusement as his Warrior Queen slowly but surely took out her sisters in arms one after another. Hippolyta finally had enough and joined in the fight. Diana on instinct or reflects side kicked her mother, sending her flying several feet away. As the Amazon's numbers dwindled Hippolyta finally got back to her feet. A single tear weep from her as she watched her blood soaked once great Daughter decapitated the final soldier. Her daughter huffed as she looked for more to battle.

Hippolyta fell to her knees and cried. "Why?" she screamed out. Diana finally

noticed her mother on her knees in the sand. Bruce walked up to Diana and spoke.

"Finish it." Bruce's eyes glowed a fiery red as Diana marched towards her Mother.

"You are a weak Queen." Diana spat out as she raised her sword high and without a moments hesitation decapitated her mother. Bruce clapped his hands together. He had finally found her. The other's had resisted his influence but this Diana didn't, she embraced it. Hippolyta's screaming soul flew into the giant coin and became one with it.

Bruce rubbed some of the still slick blood off her face. "Time for you to meet the others." he told her and with a flick of his wrist the two vanished along with the

giant coin.

* * *

Earth Prime.

Bruce watched the monitor in his cave, there on the screen was Diana along with a picture of Steve Trevor. The latter in red. Steve had just perished in an undercover operation gone wrong. But from all research of the operation he could retrieve or

intercept the mission was a success until a mystery Woman showed up and killed him, with a sword. Bruce and the A.R.G.U.S. report couldn't identify the woman. All that is know is she appeared for a few moments and disappeared once Steve was killed. Diana wasn't taking the death of her boyfriend that well. Better than he thought she would but still she was a strong willed person.

Bruce was brought out of his revelations when an alarm went off in the Batcave. Trouble was a brewing downtown. Something big. Dawning his cowl he marched over to the Batmobile and took off. The static of the radio stopped once the scanner locked onto the police frequency. The reports coming over the radio disturbed him deeply. Several police were killed and the swap team was eliminated as well. The

local army base was sending in heavily armed vehicles. Bruce slammed on the breaks and launched himself out of the speeding vehicle. Firing off a grappling line he swung up to the roof top of the nearest tall building as the Batmobile stopped in the middle of the street.

As Batman approached the edge of the building he saw a sight that made him freeze. Hovering only meters away was a figure in a black cape firing lasers blasts down at the street from their eyes. Bruce pulled out a batarang from back side of his utility belt. He threw it at the person hovering there. The being turned just as it was about to hit and caught it. With a yell of pain the person fell to the ground out of sight. Thanks Zatanna for the spun spell. Bruce thought to himself as he jumped over the edge.

Batman slowed his descent with his grapple gun attached to said building he had just jumped off of. Once on the ground he saw the person crumpled in a heap. He kicked the person over to see who it was and was praying that it wasn't Clark or Kara that had went crazy. The goatee told him it wasn't either. GENERAL ZOD. I thought he was trapped in the phantom zone. He was about to contract the Justice League when he was sent flying hard against the wall. What ever hit him was very fast. Batman pulled himself slowly up from the ground.

Standing next to the prone body of Zod was Zoom. Batman tapped the side of his head for Justice League support but before he could talk his neck was grabbed by someone. Someone very strong as he was lifted into the air several inches. As he eyes tried to focus on the person he slowly blacked out from the lack of air. All he saw was dark cropped hair.

J'onn J'onzz AKA the Martian Manhunter was in the monitor womb watching the many monitors when the contact was received. Batman had just tried to contact the Watchtower. But there was no audio coming from his comm. J'onn's eyes lite up as he scanned for his friend's mind. He found nothing. Just darkness. Worried that something might have happened to the Dark Knight he contacted the rest of the League.

Bruce awoke strapped to a chair. He scanned his surroundings and found he was in an empty room except for the chair he was tied to. In 30 seconds he had himself freed. Just then the door to the room opened and walked in Zoom, General Zod and a female covered in a cloak. Bruce ready himself for a fight but they just circled him until a forth figure entered the room. The giant sized person in full armour walked with purpose towards him. He stopped and stared at him with glowing red eyes.

The giant man chuckled. "Not bad. Freed yourself a little faster than I thought you would."

"Who are you?" Batman growled.

"You." the Giant man said as he pulled off his helmet and Bruce stared back at his withered face that was missing an eye.

Batman raised his chin "What do you want with me?"

"Direct and to the point, simple I'm testing my league against yours."

Batman smirked. "You will fail."

"Maybe." just then a crash could be heard in the next room. Armoured Bruce turned and smiled to his friends. "They are good! Go greet our visitor's!" The three figures marched out of the room and turned right leaving Bruce and Bruce alone.

"Don't." the white haired Bruce said. Bruce was about to attack his larger self. "Come and watch." Bruce nearly grunted from the force of the Giant man's hand pushing him forward. Batman slowly walked just as he past the threshold of the doorway he slammed the door shut behind him. Hopefully he bought himself a few moments to warn his comrades. Batman ran right in the direction he watched the three walk towards. He didn't hear the door being opened behind him but that didn't slow him down.

As he ran down the short hallway there was another door at the end of it, tapping his communicator he yelled out "It's a trap." He kicked it open as he entered a much larger room, more like a warehouse. In the middle of the room was his friends in the Justice League. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern. Ready for a fight.

As Batman approached his companion's out of the shadows came the three plus his Giant sized version. "I am the war bringer." his other self proclaimed. "This is my war pride."

Zod cracked his knuckles as he smiled at Kal El. Zoom stared directly at Flash and the mystery figure slowly pulled off her cloak. It was Diana but with shorter hair. The person that had choked out Batman. Superman smirked "We out number you."

"Not for long Kal El." Zod boasted.

"We don't have to fight." Diana pleaded.

Short haired Diana laughed. "You sounded like that pathetic man." She looked at her sword in hand and finally turned her attention back to long haired Diana. "Steve Trevor before I killed him, I still have some of his blood on my sword." she bragged. Diana's eyes turned from pleading to shock than to hatred.

Bruce studied his giant self as he listened to the interactions. He saw that his

helmeted self's eyes lite up once Diana roared out and launched herself at her short haired self. In a flurry both Diana's were battling sword to sword. In a moment

Batman didn't see both Zoom and Zod attacked Superman and Flash. Leaving

himself, GL and Martian Manhunter facing his Giant armoured self. GL projected a giant fist and sent it flying at his larger self. The fist past through him and crashed into the wall behind him.

Batman watched in horror as GL fell to his knees and started to cry. Martian

Manhunter's eyes matched his bigger self's eyes. Unknown to all happening in the minds of two mental giants was a battle of wells. Batman turned and watched as his green skinned friend slowly start to change into his Martian form and fall to his knees. He gripped the sides of his head and whimpered.

Turning back to his self he saw a satisfactory smile on his face. "Was wondering if I could battle him mentally and win."

"You bastard what are you?" Batman growled out.

"Let me show you." Armoured Bruce said as suddenly Bruce's mind was shown

visions of his other self's life. Everything was the same until he and Diana fell in love during their time in the Justice League. To Bruce's horror he watched as they fought to stop the God of war Ares from taking over the world with his new found power. The helmet that his larger self was wearing.

The power was too great for one person or even God to weld and caused the user to become corrupt with the pursuit of War. Bruce saw all this in moments as his older self smiled at the misery forming on his face. Once the link was disconnected

Batman shook his head "Our Mission, your Promise to Diana? How could you?"

The being that stood in front of Batman simply rubbed the side of the helmet. "Even our great strength of well wasn't enough hold this curse." The two turned as they heard a blood curling scream.

Batman's world Wonder Woman had her cropped haired version pinned to the ground with her sword deep in her chest. Batman watched as his armoured version walked over and stared down at her. The short haired Wonder Woman held her hand up looking for help from the deadly wound.

Batman watched on as his other self simply basked in the scene. "You were not the one." he turned on the two. Batman watched the horror on the short haired Diana's face. It was like someone had just taken everything from her. Flash and Superman appeared after that with Zod and Zoom knocked out. Armoured Bruce turned slightly to look at his fallen warriors. Batman yelled out finally causing the larger man to focus on him.

Batman ran then jumped at the man he never wanted to be come. With all his might he kicked the man in the chest. Batman bounced off the giant. As he laid on the grown looking up. A simple thread of golden string wrapped it self around the giant.

"Submit." Diana growled. To Bruce and everyone else watching the Giant simply

ignore it. But Diana repeated the command. "SUBMIT!" Finally the giant fell to his knees and lowered his head.

"Destroy the helmet Diana." Batman told her. Diana nodded as she moved towards him still holding onto the lasso. "Remove your helmet."

"NEVER!" he groaned as he fought the effects of the Lasso. Diana having had enough of it all, kicked the helmet off his head.

"Destroy it Superman!" Batman yelled. Superman picked it up and they could see the hesitation appear on his face. They watched in horror as Superman slowly started to place the helmet on his head. "NO, Destroy it FOR LOIS!" Batman hissed out. That simple name snapped the man of steel out of it and with a grunt he crushed the helmet.

"HAHA. What are you going to do with me now. I've absorbed too much power! I'm a god you cannot kill me!"

Diana's eyes flashed with anger as she pulled out his sword stabbed him in the chest with it. Where the sword had pierced light shot out. Giant Bruce started to slowly shrink as the power he held was released. His armoured hand came up to

Diana's face and his ran his finger along her near perfect skin. "Thank you." he wheezed out as he shrunk and died on the floor.

Batman walked over to Diana and placed a hand on her shoulder. He stared at the man that could have been him if... he never finished that sentence when he and the rest of the group turned their attention towards the helmet. He could feel its power still there, it was like a whisper he couldn't make out but it was calling to anyone to possess it. Diana marched over to the crushed helmet and with a mighty swing of the sword in her hands cut it into two. That ended the whispers for Batman.

Several days later in the Batcave Bruce sat on his throne like chair and stared at the display. His mind wasn't on the current case he was working on but what had

happened a few days before.

He heard the whirl sound of the transporter powering up and activating. Only two people would be coming to visit and from the soft but commanding tapping of heels he knew it was her and not him.

"Busy." he called over his shoulder not bothering to looking at her.

"Too bad we need to talk I've tried to contact you several times and got no

response." she said with an edge in her voice.

"Nothing to talk about."

"Yes." she growled out as she marched over and turned his chair around to face her. "We both know that monster wasn't you and she wasn't I."

"But it could be if we let ourselves."

Diana sighed out and had to agree with the man, but she looked at him. "We have been allies and friends for years and faced threats that should have broken you or I. However we may have bent but we never broke like they did." Bruce stared at her and saw the confidence in her, it refreshed his soul to know that he had an ally... good friend like her in his life.

"True." he stood up and placed a hand in hers.

"I'm sorry for your loss..." he spoke low.

Diana's shoulders stiffened at the thought of Steve's death by her doppelgängers hands. "He was a warrior and died."

Bruce wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "And you loved him." If anyone else sans a few very close friends Diana wouldn't have broken down but with him she did. He held on to her as she broke down and cried. After a few minutes she pulled away and wiped the tears away.

"He would have one day, being immortal is a curse." Bruce nodded to that thought. Living forever watching your loved ones eventually die would be hard on anyone. Lucky for him he didn't have to face that nightmare.

"You look hungry, Alfred could.." she shook her head.

"I'm fine and thanks for the offer." she turned and started to walk towards the

tele-porter pad in the Batcave to make her exit.

As Diana stood there and the two look at one another they saw something different in each other in that moment. Something that had always been there but never said. Diana punched the button to leave, she was too weak to stay and see what maybe could or couldn't happen. And he was too weak to ask her to stay. As she faded Bruce turned back to the computer and sat down.

Only in a dream he thought as he returned to work. Can I have one more day?

Everyday I have is yours.

The End.


End file.
